Professional Bio

Dr. Perkins is an active participant in the clinical hematopathology service as well as a researcher exploring the genes that impact the development of leukemias and other human malignancies. His primary focus is acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a particularly lethal type of cancer with no effective thereapies at present.

Research Bio

Dr. Perkins' current research focus is on Evi1, a complex locus that plays a critical role in both normal hematopoesis and myeloid leukemogenesis. Evidence indicates that Evi1 is an important player in maintenance of the leukemic stem cell compartment by increasing proliferation and prolonging survivial, in part through regulation of the transcription factor Gata2 and the anti-apoptotic molecue Bc12a1. His current work encompasses embryogenesis in gentically modified mice, identification of chromosomal Evi1 binding targets, Evi1 protein-protein interactions, clinical implications of chromosomal rearrangements involving Evi1, and exploration of potential therapeutic approaches to block the function of Evi1 in leukemia.